I never cease to be...
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I never cease to be amazed at the number of people, even non-Christians, who can quote John 3:16, yet have no clue as to who spoke these words or to whom they were said. Think about all the signs that you have seen being held up in sports arenas and seen by the side of the road. It is a powerful story — one that can lead us into a strong union with God. It’s important that every one of you knows who these two people are and the circumstance that brought this familiar verse to the forefront. Don’t think of John 3:16 as some kind of formula or mantra. Instead, let’s imagine being like Nicodemus, visiting Jesus on the sly some dark night when nobody will notice. If you are going to have a religious experience — if you are going to be “born anew” or “born from above” (“born again” is not a very accurate translation) — it’s better not to do it in public where your friends are going to expect some change for the better. Do it at night when nobody will notice. You find that being a Christian is going to cost you something, but you don’t have to tell. It’s okay to be religious, but don’t let it show, for goodness sake! Joking aside, if we can imagine ourselves in such a late-night conversation with Jesus — if we can imagine and articulate all the arguments against his gift — and then remember that the key words in Jesus’ discourse are, “God so loved ...” this story may do its work for us.
